Ɛpsilon

WCP2352

Letter (WCP2352.2242)

[1]

2. Grove Road

New Southgate

14th July 1877

Sir

I am reading with much interest your "Geographical Distribution of Animals",1 and can corroborate what you mention as to the power of land snails remaining dormant for a long time.

In 1866 I collected some Helix nemorata at Swanage [2] & when I returned home they were placed in a chip box in a drawer of my cabinet, & forgotten. Five years afterwards I accidentally opened the box & found several of the snails protruded from their shells & crawling around the box. They appeared quite as active as when captured.

Would it be possible to obtain from your publishers a copy of the Zoogeographical Chart of the World prefixed [3] to the 1st. volume? If so I should be very glad of one.

I am Sir | Faithfully yours | WJ Sterland2 [signature]

A. R. Wallace Esq

[4]3

1
Wallace, A. R. 1876. The geographical distribution of animals; with a study of the relations of living and extinct faunas as elucidating the past changes of the Earth's surface. Two volumes. London: Macmillan & Co.
2
Sterland has not been identified.
3
In pencil in ARW’s handwriting, “Sterland”.

Editorial information

Status: Draft transcription [Letter (WCP2352.2242)]

For more information about the transcriptions and metadata, see https://wallaceletters.myspecies.info/content/epsilon

Revision history

Transcribed by Ghosh, Susan [2015-06-24] Transcription checked by Benny, Ruth [2015-06-24] Transcription checked by Sherwood, Danni [2020-08-10] Transcription checked by Chua, Christine [2026-04-18]

Please cite as “WCP2352,” in Beccaloni, G. W. (ed.), Ɛpsilon: The Alfred Russel Wallace Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/wallace/letters/WCP2352